Introduction

Biometrics is another security technology which is used to confirm the identity of an individual. The tools utilized can do this either by taking a snapshot of one of your physiological traits (such as capturing an image of a fingerprint, an iris or your face) or behavioral traits (such as the way you sign your signature or the way in which you type on a computer keyboard).

It is important to note that these snapshots are also technically referred to as “raw images.”

The Identification Process

First, an individual must have an enrollment template taken by the appropriate biometric device. To make the template, the unique features are extracted from the raw image and converted into a mathematical file.

Let’s take the example of fingerprint recognition. After the raw image of the fingerprint is actually captured, it is then closely examined by the system to extract the unique features. This would include such items as the breaks, deltas and bifurcations that are found in the ridges, whorls and valleys of the fingerprint. An example of this is illustrated below:

Once these have been identified by the fingerprint recognition system, these unique features are then converted into a binary mathematical file:

Contrary to popular belief, it is not the actual raw image that is stored in the database. Rather, it is the above mathematical file. This now becomes specifically known as the enrollment template and is stored permanently in the database of the fingerprint recognition system.

In order to confirm the identity of the individual, he or she then must go through this entire process all over again and have what is known as a verification template created.

Once the latter has been created, both the enrollment template and the verification template are then compared to determine the degree (Read more...)

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